Sub-£500 Scumtree Sovereign of Credit Rating CARNAGE

[Partridge]

So I started a thread about my Jag but it seems to have vanished when Autoshite was in the garage, being tinkered by Dave. So here's another (more up-to-date) one. The pics will go bigger if you click on them.

 

THE STORY SO FAR.

 

The car had been on Scumtree for some time, winking suggestively at me for a good three months, listed at £800. On a day off work I drove 200 miles or so to Cornwall to look at it for some stupid reason. I have no idea why it tickled my fancy more than more local and less nasty looking '300s and '40s. It has a dent in the boot and a minging rear bumper as well as a JESUS 55502111783IILZ EELS number plate. After haggling, I got it for £480. Which makes it as sensible as arsenic toothpaste.

 

Cut a long story short I got a good "vibe" off the car and agreed to pick it up the next week. It made the 200 mile trip back home without putting a foot wrong.

 

I was happy, and actually smiling. Which doesn't happen much.

 

 

Much fuss was by family members, with fears that it would cause a parking civil war in our road and effect my ability to get a mortgage when I'm older.

 

It just fits on the drive. Sorry about the Polo. It's not mine.

 

 

A clean had it looking much better.

 

 

It certainly gets a lot of admiring glances and nice comments. It also seems to be a bird puller, judging by the slightly pissed girl leaning out of the window in a Homer Simpson yellow Peugeot 1007 who propositioned me in Portsmouth a couple of weeks ago. Being not single, (and sighted) I politely declined her generous offer.

 

Anyway.

 

Today I took it for a service and general looking over by a Jag specialist in the New Forest.

 

 

The numberplate is pissed. I assume it copped off with the drunk girl in Portsmouth.

 

It now feels even smoother and faster and grumbles less, so it was well due an oil change.

 

The chassis is totally rot free. The mechanic who looked over it was amazed at how clean it was. The sills and inner wings look like they belong on a three year old car! Me, being a plonker, forgot to get pics of it.

 

The work it will need between now and the MOT in April is:

 

A new steering rack

A couple of rear bushes, as they are both shagged

A front wheel bearing

 

The price to get all the work done isn't looking like it will be as steep as you'd expect (as in under a grand).

 

As a bonus, they've quoted me £400 for a new belt and compressor to get the air con working again, which seems bloody good value.

 

For a sub 500 quid, that's pretty damn good. Screw you, haters. Go Scumtree Jag!!!

[dugong]

GOLF CLUUUUUUUB

[billyboy406v6]

Living the dream, good for you !!!!!!

[Partridge]

Sadly, tragic giffer golf club fodder cars are very me.

[purplebargeken]

Jags are good.

[r.welfare]

You need to T Cut your garage door.

[EssDeeWon]

£400 for a new belt and compressor to get the aircon working? We only have another month of summer and its not even that warm! On occasional hot day just put the windows down, easy £400 saved.

 

Nice car btw, I like these, still proper jags! I would, but in that nice dark blue that 85% of them came in.

[Brodders]

It was on the other forum, but fuck it, I am posting it here

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7eWIrBOc3zE

 

As for the update, I can honestly say you are still doing it right (insert picture of Arthur Daley's book, "Doing it Right").

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

 

 It also seems to be a bird puller, judging by the slightly pissed girl leaning out of the window in a Homer Simpson yellow Peugeot 1007 who propositioned me in Portsmouth a couple of weeks ago. Being single, (and sighted) I politely declined her generous offer.

 

 

 

Images or it did not occur.

[cort16]

[Partridge]

Images or it did not occur.

[mercrocker]

You need to pogweasle your house door to match.

 

FTFY

[xtriple]

Sounds like a proper bargain to me. Elderly Jaguars need loving, they deserve it as they are wonderful cars. I had an X300 and a 308 and I still think the 300 is the better car: nice engine and a much better dashboard.

 

I like working air con and use it all year round. Clears misted windows in seconds in the winter and it's worth the entrance price for that alone

[Laseraligningfoofooflanges]

Dibs if you sell it love these..

 

Always fancied an XJ40 but they seem to have all gone >1000 since the modern classics lot stuck their oar in pah..

[Partridge]

I initially wanted a '40, but after speaking to some people in the know and doing my homework, I deduced that the '300 was the more sensible buy. More reliable, more rust resistant if they've been looked after (as mine will attest to) and bolted together better. Of all the "proper" Jags it's probably the most realistic prospect if you want to be in it for the long term (which I do).

 

I don't think it will be long before they go the same way as the XJ40, and usable ones will start to creep up.

 

I love how they look as well, a blend of XJ40 and series three: that can only be a good thing.

[Squire_Dawson]

Poor man's Daimler.

[Laseraligningfoofooflanges]

I initially wanted a '40, but after speaking to some people in the know and doing my homework, I deduced that the '300 was the more sensible buy. More reliable, more rust resistant if they've been looked after (as mine will attest to) and bolted together better. Of all the "proper" Jags it's probably the most realistic prospect if you want to be in it for the long term (which I do).

 

I don't think it will be long before they go the same way as the XJ40, and usable ones will start to creep up.

 

I love how they look as well, a blend of XJ40 and series three: that can only be a good thing.

Is it a bad thing that I'd more than likely be in for the short term I love old jags and an Xj40 and an alfa 145 are the only things left on me 3 car bucket list (done the e38).

 

But i do feel you about the xj40 rust i googled ''rust mot failure'' and most of the hits were xj40's , I Think the current xj is fucking gopping in comparison to these.

 

Nice car though mate, i really dont think much can top it for classy looks and panache if you stuck a new S Class and 7 series next to this X300 they'd seem cheap IMHO.

[Partridge]

Is it a bad thing that I'd more than likely be in for the short term I love old jags and an Xj40 and an alfa 145 are the only things left on me 3 car bucket list (done the e38).

 

But i do feel you about the xj40 rust i googled ''rust mot failure'' and most of the hits were xj40's , I Think the current xj is fucking gopping in comparison to these.

 

Nice car though mate, i really dont think much can top it for classy looks and panache if you stuck a new S Class and 7 series next to this X300 they'd seem cheap IMHO.

Thing is, an old Jag is the only car I have/had a burning desire to own. Lots of other cars I fancy, but my wantometer has never been set off by anything else in the same way old Jag saloons do it for me.

[Insideimsmiling]

Love these and after an xj40 and a later xj6 in this style I now have a xj8 sport in the same colour as yours on here and in a pretty good state mechanically with a great interior including a new roof lining. It looks good polished up from across the road but there are a few age related dents and scraps, still it gets lots of looks and it makes you feel like you are driving the most classy and comfortable thing on the road. Ideal for long journeys and in my case only £400 with a years mot.

[Junkman]

Poor man's Daimler.

 

That's damn unfair.

And you know it.

 

Then again, could I live with something that doesn't say Daimler Double Six on it?

I don't know.

I guess I'm too much a Rover man, me.

[Partridge]

Love these and after an xj40 and a later xj6 in this style I now have a xj8 sport in the same colour as yours on here and in a pretty good state mechanically with a great interior including a new roof lining. It looks good polished up from across the road but there are a few age related dents and scraps, still it gets lots of looks and it makes you feel like you are driving the most classy and comfortable thing on the road. Ideal for long journeys and in my case only £400 with a years mot.

That's because you ARE driving the most classy and comfortable thing on the road.

[purplebargeken]

There is much to like with these cars. I loved mine

[HillmanImp]

I still think the 300 is the better car: nice engine and a much better dashboard

I have never driven a 300 but my reasoning for going for 308s is purely the dashboard as I hate the one on the 300. I really love the 308 dash and thats what I see most.

 

Different strokes for different folks.

[Partridge]

I took it to a Jag show at the spur of the moment this morning, after waking up and blearily googling "xassic var show s in ham pshire" while half asleep.

 

Damn glad I did.

This S-Type used to belong to Frank Whittle. The owner kept WHITTLING on about it. Sorry.

MODDEN JAG. How long before these qualify as Autoshite?

The XJ40 was lovely, and very similar to the car that started my obsession when I was five. The X300 was mint and owned by a really friendly Australian guy who lurks on this forum and has been reading my posts!

 

Click on the pictures to see them in full size. Plenty more if they're of interest.

[Partridge]

Well, it's still behaving.

 

I did have the wobbles with it the other day when I was in a pissy mood, wondering if I actually needed it and gave serious thought to selling it. But the 170 mile drive to PARTRIDGE_GIRL soon changed me mind. It gobbles up long drives like nothing else!

 

It's also nice having two barges to choose from.

 

 

The patch on the Rover's door is where some spotty like cretin on a push bike kicked the door in, after I sounded the horn and nearly caused a crash avoiding him when he cut in front of me.

 

I also rather like looking out of the window at it.

 

The Jag has been drinking a bit more as I've been dailying it this week for no real reason other than to make life nicer. But am I alone in getting a really weird perverse pleasure from running a thirsty car?

 

It does like it's oil though. It was changed a month ago, and I reckon that's used up about half it's oil in that time. I've had to top it up every week. It doesn't leak anywhere near enough to be loosing that much because of a leak alone, but it's not smoking. Piston rings? It's running sweet as anything and is getting smoother with use, as well. It was sounding quite noisy last night, but a glob of oil has shut it up. Weird.